RUPTURE OF THE PLEXOB TENDONS AND SUSPENSORY L1G LMENT. 833 



consequence of the horse jumping, both flexor tendons and the suspensory 

 ligament of one lore limb were suddenly ruptured, the metacarpus 

 penetrating 4 inches into the earth. 



Kay noted rupture of both flexor tendons and the suspensory liga- 

 ment, in three separate Limbs. The flexor pedis perforans was torn away 

 from the os pedis and the suspensory ligament from the sesamoid bones, 

 while portions of the hones were also Loosened. The horse had previously 

 been hone, and for some time Incapable of work. In the year 1890 a 

 horse was sent to the Berlin clinique suffering from recent and sudden 



lameness ; the animal could scarcely stand even for a leu moments. When 



forced to do so, the hind feet were placed far forwards and the lore feet 



disposed as in laininilis. Post-mortem showed rupture of the flexor pedis 



perforans in all four feet just above its insertion into the os pedis. No 



exact explanation of the cause could he discovered further than that the 

 horse had previously been confined to tin' stable lor some days on ac- 



couni of lameness in one limb. A similar case was reported a year Later; 



in another the llexor pedis was torn away from the OS pedis in both hind 

 Limbs, and the sesamoid hones of both front Limbs were fractured. In 

 these cases, also, the. animals had previously been unworkable. Maillet, 

 in a horse, saw both llexor tendons ruptured. Some old-standing disease, 

 such as partial rupture of the tendons, had probably been in existence. 

 Rodet noted a similar accident, affecting both fore limbs, occur during 

 galloping. Schraml describes tearing away of the flexor pedis perforans 

 from its insertion into the os pedis, portions of which remained adherent 

 to the tendon ; the navicular hone was broken info many fragments, which 

 Schraml ascribes to the excessive weight thrown on it after rupture 

 of the tendon. Derive saw rupture of the flexor pedis perforans in all 

 four limbs after an attack of laminitis. 



Moller has repeatedly seen similar cases. The suspensory 

 ligament is almost always torn away from its attachment to the 

 sesamoid bones, whilst, portions of the bone are loosened. In van- 

 horses the suspensory ligament is sometimes ruptured, even in the 

 hind limbs. In front, this rupture is commonest in race- and 

 steeple-chase horses, and is generally caused by fast galloping or in 

 jumping. Sometimes the flexor pedis perforans i- affected, though 

 the suspensory ligament may also be ruptured. Fig. 478 is drawn 

 from a case of rupture of the suspensory ligament in » race-horse 

 which fell lame on the course and had been unsuccessfully treated 

 for a long time. 



A careful inspection of instantaneous photographs of moving 

 horses (like those of Marey or Muybridge) shows that in galloping 

 and in landing from a jump the animal's whole weight rests for an 

 appreciable time on one of the fore limbs. At this moment the 

 fetlock is supported by the contraction of the flexor pedis perforans 

 and perforatus muscles, which are elastic, and by the passive 

 resistance of the suspensory ligament, which is comparatively inelastic. 

 Should, then, the strain thrown on the limb exceed the elastic resistance 



RS. 3H 



